And Tim admitted in that interview what I have been saying for more than a year....Francesca is being groomed to be the next UF head coach some day.
Three other things stuck out for me in that interview. Sounds like Brooke is being worked as a backup catcher. Sounds like Red is still dealing with some injury and may not be ready to go at the start of the season. And he says we don't have enough seats to meet the demand and he raised the issue of building some outfield seats.
I just found myself surprisingly invested in the thought of Brooke as backup catcher. She's tall. She's spunky. She's quick. I found an old article about her from when she was named the Palm Beach 7A-6A player of the year, and she was apparently an excellent HS shortstop with a "way-above-average arm." (I know, I know... this doesn't necessarily translate into an excellent D1 SEC catcher, but it seems that the bones are there.) Makes me wonder if Bellaire will redshirt this year to give her the possibility of developing and being a 3 year starter when Jocey graduates, or if that would cut our catching depth a little too much for comfort.
Andddd I just pictured her giving angry wedgies to the other team if they hit a HR while she is behind the plate. That might be worth an ejection, tbh.
Three of these names are transfers. And you can add Brooke, Kendyl, Jade, Kinsey, Marisa, Samantha, MacKenzie, Kara, and I am sure Rylee and Kenliegh would say the same by now. And all of the above have a basis for comparison.
Here. I didn't realize it had not already been posted. Scroll down to the bottom to start to play it. In The Circle | iHeart
I would not be at all surprised if Bellaire redshirts. I am not confident she is ready to be a SEC catcher at this point, even as a backup. Also, we have another catcher on the horizon. Avery Killian. She has jumped from LA Voodoo (Louisiana) to Georgia Impact which is an excellent move for her. She is 2026 and was recently named as a "top performer" at a USA National camp. And we had another shortstop who jumped to catcher when we had a hole to fill...Sarah. IMO, she didn't set the world on fire behind the plate but she was credible and I give her props for being willing to do whatever needed for the team. Sarah took a lot of grief from the fans but Tim saw something in her and he is a hell of a lot smarter than me.
And the obligatory Taylor comment from the interview. He couldn't stop talking about her at various points. No question she is a locked in and heavily relied upon starter. Someone posted here that she looked slow in the outfield during a fall game, much to my surprise and disagreement. Tim said she can cover the outfield from the foul line all the way to where Kendra stands.
Sarah Longley is one of my all-time favorite Gators. There was something super special about her... not necessarily her talent (don't get me wrong... she was an amazing, versatile athlete who had some really great moments), but she radiated the team-first attitude. Hard to put what I'm trying to describe into words, but Wilkie had it, too.
<iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="Great To Be These Florida Gators - In The Circle | iHeart" frameborder="0"></iframe> Great To Be These Florida Gators - In The Circle | iHeart I think this is the interview everyone has been talking about. It is very interesting and has a lot of insight into this years team
I'm going way out on a limb here with absolutely nothing but a gut feeling to back it up. I think Tim wants to leave a solid team for Francesca when the time comes so I'm betting 2027 or 2028 when this current crop of freshmen will still be on board. He said in the interview that the administration already knows he wants her as the next head coach and they are on board. Francesca as the next head coach was pretty much a given the day he convinced her to join the staff. She didn't uproot her family from Orlando and give up a promising broadcasting career if he said, "come and coach with us for a year or two". I'll bet my last dollar he said, "come and coach with me for a few years and learn how to be the next head coach at UF and the job will be yours". Edit: That theory might have some holes in it. At that point Tim would still be in his mid-50's. I can't imagine he indicated to Francesca it would be 10-15 years though. Anything is possible but I can't see him leaving for another head coaching job at another school. Not after his run at UF. But he could easily land a lucrative softball job with some company or organization. Anyway, if he is willing to publicly state she is going to be the next head coach and the administration is on board with it, he is clearly thinking about when the time will come.
Gator Tales with Sean Kelley: Kevin Hovde, John Andrzejek & Francesca Enea - Florida Gators The last 20 minutes is with Francesca. It’s a don’t miss interview.
Why would CTW leave? Why did Spurrier, Donavan and Mayer leave and McElwain and Mullen crash? I think there is some unreasonable pressure or demands from the administration and/or boosters.
This is the detail found: 2025 Gators Softball First Pitch Banquet presented by Florida Man's Lunacy Saturday, 2/01/2025 6pm EST - 9pm EST Touchdown Terrace at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Choose your tickets to continue! Choose Your Tickets VIP Individual Seat with Player at Table $150 Individual Seat $100
Why? After what would be close to 25 years, a lot of coaches simply feel that's enough and want a change in lifestyle. In Tim's case, it would now be an empty house. All of the kids are grown and gone. I'm not a mind reader but him publicly saying what he said is rather telling. You won't know if someone sneezes in the locker room unless Tim wants you to know.
